


Avery's Chronicle - Book One: Revenge

by Slykylar



Series: Avery's Chronicle [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Johto, M/M, Nuzlocke Challenge, Original Pokemon Trainer - Freeform, Pokemon HeartGold, Pokemon Journey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-19
Updated: 2014-07-01
Packaged: 2018-02-05 08:25:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1811815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slykylar/pseuds/Slykylar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trapped, believed to be held against his will in the Settlement for seven years, Avery wants answers. He knows there is more at play than what is being let on, and he will not be deterred by those who call him crazy.</p><p>He knows he can't remember life before the Settlement. He knows there is something off about the Enforcers, and he will stop at nothing to get the answers he wants.</p><p>But Avery stumbles into something much more than he bargained for, something much more sinister than he could have ever imagined. Now, he is hunted across Johto by those who run the Settlement, in a large game of cat and mouse. As he runs, he discovers a deep rooted corruption, makes valuable new friends and becomes a formidable trainer.</p><p>Will he be able to uncover everything, and recover his missing memories? Or will he swallowed by the rising wave of evil?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

I lay in bed, the smooth sheets only covering me from my waist down. The heat was stifling tonight, and I could feel a cold sweat forming on the skin of my legs under the thin material. The silver light of the full moon filtered through the slats on the window, illuminating the room in stripes of gleaming light. It gently caressed the furniture within the large bedroom, yet reflected off of my skin, intensifying the pale tone of my chest.

I could hear the soft clink of glass echo from the other rooms, accompanied by the soft hum of the air conditioning, the low, muted voices from the television and the occasional disagreeing grunt. I had retired to bed some two hours before, claiming fatigue and craving sleep. However, that was not entirely truthful. It wasn’t the whole truth at least, it never was.

Dark thoughts crowded my mind, fighting each other over and over; it seemed as if they were competing for my attention, to see which one I would dwell on the most this time. Though tonight, everything had come flooding back, taking its root in my being and souring my mood, stealing my attention.

Tonight was different. Tonight was the anniversary.

Vivid images flashed behind my eyes, glimpses into my past which made me cringe harder with each one that appeared. Blotches of deep crimson, wide, terrified eyes, burning buildings… Darkness, endless darkness and hatred. My skin crawled with every memory, the blood that pumped through my veins ran cold, and then hot. Numerous scars that spotted my torso itched, and suddenly I was there again.

The sunken faces of those I’d been held with stared back at me, and I was no longer in the room. The cement courtyard was filled with hopeless faces that stared back at me, pity in their eyes. Ghostly remnants of the vicious blows that were dealt to my body on that podium in the courtyard slammed through my frame and I could feel myself shaking. A uniformed guard stood by my side, and I saw his large baton – crusty with dried blood – rise into the air. I struggled against the bonds that held me down, but to no avail. I yelled out for help, for someone to emerge from the crowd and free me. But no-one came. I shuddered violently with every whack of the club, the pain rolling through my body. I let out cries of pain but no-one seemed to care. They were frightened.

“Avery!” a distant voice called for me as my attacker stood in front of me. “Avery, it’s okay! None of it is real!”

The guard lifted my heavy head with the freshly bloodied club he held, pushing up on my chin so I stared at him.

“Avery, calm, everything is going to be okay.” The voice was soothing, melodic almost.

The baton was raised high once more, and I fought to stop my head lolling downwards.

A warm touch graced my cheek. “Avery, you’re safe at home now, none of it is real.” The comforting touch broke the memory, the courtyard fizzling out to the bedroom again. A fair faced man with sandy hair looked back at me, his grey eyes full of concern and relief. His hand still held my face like a mother would. We sat there like that for a time, trying to steady my breathing and calm myself down.

Each time I relived these scenarios they became more realistic, more draining.

“It was just a memory,” the man assured me, pressing his lips into a thin smile. “Where were you this time?”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” I groaned, removing his hand and pushing aside the sheets. I moved towards the window, pulling the slatted frames open. The sticky warm air rushed inside in greater amounts, bringing to my attention the layer of sweat on my forehead. I stared out at the new countryside, breathing deep.

“You know it helps to talk about it, Avery. Bottling things up won’t do you any good. It might even make you more susceptible to flashbacks.”

“Bottling it up is all I can do now… What happened should not be spoken of, what I did should not be heard by anyone. If it is voiced, then it is remembered. Everyone just needs to move on and forget.” Everyone could do that, in time I supposed. Everyone but me. I raised my right arm into the light, staring at the two thick black lines the ran left to right across the inner wrist, forever branded into my skin as a reminder of what I was and where I came from. Absentmindedly, I brushed my fingers over the marking, earlier memories surfacing.

“It was the courtyard again,” I whispered. “Another public beating, one of the many I inflicted upon my arrogant self.”

“What you did was heroic and just. People admire you for your actions-”

“They should fear me.” I stopped him in his tracks. “They should fear me like they once did, not hold me up on a pedestal like some saviour. What happened was savage and horrific, and all I have to show for it is guilt and a hell of a lot of blood. No, I should be feared, not revered.” I balled my hands into tight fists, the skin stretching thin over the bones of my knuckles.

He didn’t move when he spoke again, his voice still remaining smooth and calm. “The past is done, and people are coping with the major events in different ways. You need to look to the future, Avery, and see how much hope it holds, how bright it is, because of you.”

_But at what cost? My sanity?_

My past was twisted and horrible.

And not private.

Everything that had unfolded in the last four years came from the overwhelming sense of curiosity, wonder and betrayal that I had felt that one day. That drove me to break the barrier.

The day I escaped from the Settlement.


	2. Detained

As the light flooded my sight behind my eyelids, the pain rolled over my body. I let out an involuntary moan as my body instinctually recoiled from it, sharp pain shooting through my sides, back and head as a result. The sudden pain nearly sent me reeling back into the black unconsciousness I had become familiar with over the past few months, but I willed myself to fight off the dizziness and wake up.

After taking some time to ease myself back into consciousness, I slowly cracked open my eyes, the harsh light of the exposed globe bringing tears to my eyes. I took note of the soft mattress beneath me, the fluffed pillow my head rested on and the thin sheet that covered my aching, bloody and bruised body. I had been moved to the infirmary, there was no doubt about that. Bandages covered the breaks in my skin, some stained with old blood, and icepacks had been secured to my various other injuries.

It hurt to breathe, and it would for a few days yet, considering the beating my ribs and torso had undergone. I didn’t know how long I had been out for – could have been a few hours, could have been less, or much more. I found solace in the mere fact that I had been kept alive. Most of the Enforcers around the Settlement had it out for me, and anyone would enjoy taking a shot at me. Not without good reason too, I wasn’t exactly compliant to everything, and I asked too many questions. I’d overheard a few of them saying how much easier it would be with me out of the picture. Easier to do what? I don’t know, I never found out.

I sat up and swung my legs from under the sheet and over the edge of the small infirmary bed, my head spinning once more. I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched the side of the bed, desperately hoping I wouldn’t pass out again, the floor wasn’t soft at all. The clacking of heels against the tiles echoed down the hall and into the small room I occupied.

“Avery!” a stern female voice scolded, “You’ve been here enough times to know that you shouldn’t sit up so fast.” Nurse Pip rushed to my side and steadied me, but didn’t make any moves to try and push me back into the bed.

“I’ve also been here often enough that I know when I’m feeling better, Pip,” I retorted, opening my eyes to focus on her, if only to gauge how steady I was. Nurse Pip was young, in her early twenties. She had a rounded face with pixie-like features, her skin quite pale, like mine. Her eyes were a striking green and glittered youthfully in the light, and shone with passion as she attended to the sick. Her hair was cut short, with two pieces falling either side of her head, framing her face. Even though she was shorter than I was, she held herself with such confidence that she dwarfed everyone in a room, especially when she was called on for medical advice, which wasn’t too often, so she made it count. She sighed as she stared back at me.

“You’re here _too_ often, Avery. These beatings aren’t good for a growing young man like you. You’re 17, for crying out loud you could do some serious, permanent damage if this keeps up. Not to mention the negligence of your necessary vitamins. Your reluctance to eat properly as some form of rebellion has left you malnourished.” I rolled my eyes, hearing this lecture almost every week, whether I was here because of my actions or other reasons. She slapped my arm in jest and pain lanced up through my shoulder. I hissed and recoiled, glaring at her. “I also gave you a booster shot, to bolster that immune system and get those vitamins flowing,” she continued, not fazed by my glare. “You’ll thank me later on.” I grunted in resigned agreement as I dropped from the bed too my feet.

“How long have I been out?” I shakily made my way to the door and out into the hallway, my bare feet slapping against the cool tiles. Pip followed, one hand rested on the small of my back in case I needed steadying.

“Only a couple hours, so everything will still be tender and raw, so be careful.” We came to the empty foyer of the infirmary, and she ushered me out of the glass double doors. The dry heat of the afternoon drifted over the two of us as we stepped out onto the narrow street. However, Pip didn’t leave me like she usually did, she kept on walking.

“I can find my own way home, Pip,” I assured her, “There’s really no way that I can actually get lost.” It was true though. The fenced town area of the Settlement was very localised, and finding one’s way around was not hard at all, with all sectors branching off from the main courtyard, which was used as a central hub for announcements and ‘public displays of order’, also known as the many beatings I, and others, had suffered through. From the infirmary, the living sector was just a short walk. Our path took us past the entrance gates, which was a large, modern complex and where the Enforcers who would go out and hunt and gather supplies would enter and exit from. Inside the facility is where they stayed, separating the residents of the Settlement from them, as a sort of silent hierarchy. Most of the residents were afraid of the Enforcers and their thick nightsticks, and that made me angry.

“I’m going to see you home, Avery,” Pip said, staring directly ahead. “With your injuries still fresh, you need to be resting, not off picking fights again, especially ones you’re not going to win.” We walked in silence for a moment before she continued, her voice softer and curious. “Why do you do this to yourself, Avery? You have a perfectly simple life here, why cause so much trouble.”

“Life here is not simple, Pip. It’s confusing and filled with lies. It’s unfair and I want to know what is going on. The fact that everyone wants to stop me from asking questions only makes me believe that we’re all being told lies that much more.” I stared hard at the ground, my brow furrowed in anger and annoyance.

“What made you start believing this? Are you so dissatisfied with life here that you have to make trouble for yourself in these fantasies?” Pip lowered her hand from my back as we neared the door to my small living quarters.

“They’re not fantasies, Pip. I wouldn’t make up that I can’t remember anything before the Settlement.”

“Probably a result of all the hits your head has taken, I told you that. That’s why you need to stop acting out, it’s warping your perception.”

“No, it’s not just me. I’ve spoken to a few of the others and they’re all in agreement with me. We can’t remember anything beyond waking up in here, and being forced to get used to monitored life.”

“Well, I have memories from before the Settlement, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re making things worse for yourself.”

“That’s because you’re not a resident of the Settlement, Pip. You get to keep your memories because you’re not being _held_ here. You get to live it up in that facility every night, you get to get out. Sure, you’re not an Enforcer but you’re here to make sure everything and everyone stays healthy. Why is that?” Pip stared at me, an incredulous look on her face.

“Human life is paramount to the Settlement and the preservation of our civilisation. Regardless, my job is to help people stay alive, to help the sick and the injured, not to pull the wool over people’s eyes and erase memories!”

“You sound like a recording, Pip. How many times have you practiced that?” Her face went blank, and she looked as if someone had slapped her.

“I’m disappointed to see that your cynicism and need for attention would make you doubt our friendship. You should get your rest. Archie is set to return tomorrow, I’m sure there’ll be lots of festivities. Maybe you’ll forget your arrogance and stupid conspiracies enough to actually enjoy yourself.” Nurse Pip gave me a disapproving look up and down before turning and storming off down the street, the glare of the setting sun drowning her from my vision. I moaned internally.

Archie, the most revered man within the Settlement, would be arriving back from a ‘scouting trip’. I held doubts on whether that was actually true. He was only popular with and trusted by the other residents because the Enforcers would listen to him, and him only. They held him in such high regard because of his supposed role in founding and establishing the Settlement, and because he single-handedly tamed and captured a Pokémon. Everyone acted like he was our salvation, when in actuality he was never around and turned a blind eye to the violence and poor conditions.

As I opened the door to my tiny living space, a loud horn sounded, signalling the end of the day. In about ten minutes, the residents who were over the age of 18 would emerge from the mines out in the forested area on the outskirts of the gated land, covered in dust and dirt and sweat, their ripped clothes sticking to their skin. It was what happened in the Settlement. You came of age and were put to work, mining for rare stones which were taken by the Enforcers and held in the complex at the front of the community. No-one knew why for sure, but we were told things along the lines of, ‘It’s for our research’, and, ‘These stones have valuable use to us here’. But the stones were never seen again. There were many, from what I’d heard from the miners: blue stones that were the colour of deep water, stones that crackled with energy, ones that burned like hot coals and even ones that shined with unseen light and those that looked like the sun. That’s what I had to look forward to…

It disgusted me that we were worked to the bone, and sometimes even death, and no-one said anything. They trusted the people who abused them, who dared to say they had more right to freedom and luxury than us. Anger overwhelmed me every time I thought about the state I was in. I needed to make a break for it, I needed to get out and prove that I was right and everyone else were just sheep, following without asking questions. Anger was all I felt, anger at the situation, at the lack of clarity and the oppressive nature of the Settlement. I lashed out with my fist, the light of the sunset reflecting off of my fist as it slammed into the wooden door frame, splintering it as it did. I jumped back from the point of impact and stared at both the missing chunk and my seemingly undamaged hand.

“I must be concussed…” I mused out loud.

* * *

 

Archie stood on the raised platform in the central courtyard, basking in the adoring smiles and gazes and cries from the people that fanned out around him. His angular face contorted into what could barely pass as a smile, and even then came across smug and arrogant.

He had arrived with the rising sun, bringing along an early start and annoying fanfare. Supplies, rations and new people had come with him. Despite being a nearly self-contained, functional community, the Settlement still had food shortages and minimal supplies for the mundane tasks needed to be performed in everyday life, so Archie took it upon himself, after seeing how loved he was, to go out and scout the wilds for useful tools and hunt for food when the supply got low. Occasionally he brought back one or two new people, claiming he had saved them from a vicious Pokémon, and offered them a place in the sanctuary of the Settlement.

Everyone lapped it up, singing their highest praises for our supposed saviour. Of course they did, they never questioned anything. I however, noticed the blank stares of the new residents, the unfocused eyes and the dependence on others for total support. Something wasn’t as it seemed, and every time I tried to bring it up with anyone, an Enforcer, a fellow resident, even one of my few closer acquaintances, I was shunned and avoided for questioning the legitimacy of Archie.

That’s when I started to press forward in getting answers. Why don’t I remember anything from before my tenth birthday? What is really outside the walls and in the wilds? What is the Settlement hiding? Who runs the Settlement? All attempts to weasel information out of any Enforcer was met with condescending laughter and a beating, whether public or instant. But I could tell I was getting to them. They were more cautious with what they said, they always made sure to keep an eye on me and were always there to shut me up when I started talking. Some even looked nervous.

Archie raised his hand into the air, a signal he wanted silence. The ever obedient crowd fell quiet instantly.

“My friends, my fellow survivors, I’m so glad to be back with you again.” This was met with contained cheers. “The wilds beyond our borders are a harsh place, filled with dangerous and vicious creatures, countless species of Pokémon just waiting to attack and feast on us. But it is my pleasure to put myself in harms’ way, so long as it benefits the survival of our little colony!” More cheers, ad his pained smile stretched across his tight face.

“I brought back the usual haul; food, materials and anything else of note. Our two new residents are being looked after by Nurse Pip and the rest of the medical team. They were lucky; I saved them from a slow and horrible death by asphyxiation from a cloud of poison gas. I tamed the foul Pokémon and captured it, preventing any further harm.” His formal tone and language grated on my nerves. It made him sound like a political leader, addressing the lesser masses and rubbing his achievements in the faces of those with nothing. Whispers and mutters singing praises for him and his oh so heroic nature rippled throughout the crowd constantly. Archie paid no heed to it, playing the humble card, however I knew he thrived off it, the glint in his eye visible from across the courtyard.

“So where’s this Pokémon?” A voice carried over the murmur of the crowd, easily distinguishing itself. Above the heads of the other residents, I saw an older man, of about 28, his skin cracked and covered in sores from mining, yet tanned and muscular. His large arms were folded, his dark eyes set in a solid glare at the stage. Benson was one of the only other residents that could see the sense I talked, and the only one that would listen to me every time. He was just as fed up with it as I was, having been here for the same amount of time – just over seven years – although he was always telling me how much smarter he was compared to me because he’d learnt not to question it as publicly.

“Excuse me?” Archie addressed Benson. Heads turned Benson’s way

“You tamed this Pokémon, so I don’t see why you can’t show us, and if it’s so dangerous, maybe you could instruct those who want to learn how to defend against it, or how to tame Pokémon.”

“I don’t think that would be wise, friend,” Archie replied, a light tone to his voice, almost condescending. “The Pokémon I tamed is highly poisonous and I would rather not expose you all to such a high risk threat. As for defending and taming yourself, that is something we will have to look into, I suppose.”

“Oh, come on,” I interjected with a roll of my eyes. I felt Benson’s gaze on me instantly, and was aware of the shuffling of the two Enforcers a short distance away. “You say you’re not doing it to protect us, but that’s exactly why so many of us are questioning your legitimacy. You’re all smoke and mirrors, and we all know it.” A bit of a stretch, certainly not waterproof but it got my point across. Archie turned slowly to face me from his position.

“And who are you?” he almost sneered.

“Avery,” I replied, squaring my shoulders. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Benson rub his temples. Archie took a few seconds, taking me in and a small twitch of a smile toyed at the corner of his mouth.

“Well, Avery, I can’t have people ‘questioning my legitimacy’, now can I?” From his pocket he removed a red and white orb capsule which enlarged in his hand. It suddenly split along the centre, a stream of energy rushing out and taking the form of an uneven, rugged ball.  As it solidified, the ball took on a purple hue, and a wretched smell wafted over the area almost immediately, forcing most people to cover their mouths and noses, others gagging and struggling to hold in their food. A thick black smog emerged from the ridges on the Pokémon, which were actually vents. I imagined that the gas would smell even worse, and was probably poisonous to some degree. Its mouth opened ad small sharp teeth were exposed, as well as spilling more thick smog from the new opening. Its eyes shone with glee, and it made sounds like it was laughing.

I was shocked, horrified, fear struck my heart and rooted me to the spot. I hadn’t seen a Pokémon before, and this one looked quite vicious and dangerous. But I was also curious. If this was just one species of Pokémon, how many more were there? What would they look like? Were they equally as horrifying or were some beautiful and peaceful?

“You see, Avery,” Archie started, staring pointedly at me, “ _this_ is what lies out there, and this particular Pokémon, Koffing, can be very dangerous, and has been known to attack unprovoked.” The capsule opened again and the Koffing dematerialised and disappeared back into it, however its stench did not, much to the dismay of everyone. Archie’s eyes stayed locked to mine, his face suddenly devoid of his characteristic jovial demeanour. A few seconds passed before a group of Enforcers carried up a large crate on stage. As quick as it had left him, Archie’s confidence and enthusiasm returned.

“Now, after that little… spectacle… if everyone would like to form an orderly line, we have extra rations for everyone!”

* * *

 

After collecting my rations, I took the long way back to my quarters. I usually took a walk around the boundary each day, whether to clear my head, walk off an injury or more often than not, go over everything in my head and try to make sense of it all. The boundary ran into the forest, and the ambient noises of nature as well as the cooling shade helped my mind wander. I also used the trees and shrubbery to occasionally hide from Enforcers. It was always fun to watch them run around in circles trying to find me.

The forest was a nice escape from the structures and the like of the inner part of the Settlement, it helped break up the monotonous scenery and gave somewhere the residents could actually relax. Around the edge was a high wall, flat and boring, topped with wire to prevent any intrusions, and more likely, escape attempts. It was along here that I always walked, furthest away from everything. I frequented here so often that a small path had formed where I’d trampled the grass into dirt.

At a slow, casual pace, I could be out here for ages, drinking in the serenity of the nature that surrounded me. And that’s how I moved today. I wanted to be as far away from the crowds as possible, as far away from Archie and all the lies that came with it. Other residents had tried getting me to drop the issue, going as far as claiming that I was going insane. But I would never drop it, I knew something was up and I wanted to know what, and why we were being lied to.

Eventually I followed the wall around and back to the large white complex that marked the only entrance and exit to this horrid place. The area around it was deserted apart from a small congregation of people. Namely Archie, Pip and two people, one male and the other female, who I assumed to be the new residents. There were two Enforcers standing by Archie also, bring the total up to six people. As I got closer I could hear Archie talking to them.

“…and Nurse Pip here is going to briefly take you to her infirmary to do some final checks, before you move into your living areas.” Pip smiled at them in acknowledgement. I tried walking past, putting my head down and speeding up, but to no avail. “Avery!” Archie called out as I got close enough, “It was Avery, right? Come say hi to our new residents.” Internally, I groaned. His sickly sweet tone and obviously strained smile as he addressed me was infuriating, but somewhat satisfying. But I had no choice but to join them, whether it be out of curiosity or a stupid sense of respect for the man, I don’t know.

“Oh boy, you’re going to just love it here,” I drawled as I got closer, laying the sarcasm on thick. Sick glee flickered through my body when I could almost feel Archie tense up beside me.

“I’ll come check up on you in a few days to see how you’re settling in, friends.” Archie motioned to Pip, who was avoiding looking at me, and she led the others off. He waved after them for a whiel, before continuing.

“I’ve heard a lot about you, Avery,” he said, a sweet smile on his face and hand still waving after the two new residents, not looking at me.

“All good things, I hope,” I replied.

“Not exactly.” He lowered his hand and turned to me, the nice guy act dropped instantly. “We need to have a very serious conversation, you and I.” He made a flippant hand gesture and pain exploded in the back of my head. The Enforcer’s baton cracked off of my skull, and I was unconscious before I hit the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, hi there. This is my third attempt at this series, specifically this story. It's a Nuzlocke run of a Heartgold cartridge, that i completed something like, three years ago or more, and Avery's story has been floating around ever since. Hopefully i'll be able to get into a pattern of uploading now im out of school, but we'll see. I want to finish it this time, so I'm determined. Hopefully you like it


	3. Chapter 2: Lucky Break

I awoke to a sterilised, empty room. I lay on the cold tiled floor, my head throbbing once more. Not a situation I was a stranger to, honestly. The bright white light constantly reflected off of the white tiles and the white walls, magnifying the headache I already had. Pulling myself to my knees, I took in what little more there was to the room.

In the centre sat a table, with two chairs bolted to the ground, each on opposing sides, facing each other. The polished metal gleamed in the light, and my distorted reflection stared back at me when I moved closer, stretching and morphing with every slight movement I made. Three of the walls were the same white tile, perfectly scrubbed clean, not one fleck of dust or spot of dirt. The other wall, however, was completely reflective glass, which made the room look twice as big as it actually was.

From the mirror, a thin teenager stared back at me, pale skin glowing in the harsh light, stretched over sharp cheekbones and defined collarbones. The bright blue eyes were circled with black rings, sunken back into the skull. His face looked sickly, weary, but always alert. Dirt covered his face, masking some of the pale tone of his skin. Knotted and unruly hair sat atop his head, falling down to frame the face. It was usually the darkest of blacks, but in the light here, there was a distinct steel blue tint. Blood stuck to the back of his head, cracking as he turned his head.

Scars laced the pale skin, white lines and marks randomly splattered down his neck and disappearing underneath the ragged clothing. Beneath that were many more. Tracing down the right arm, two thick black lines ran horizontal across the inside of his wrist, a branding.

I hissed as I tore myself from my reflection. I despised what I had become.

“Where the hell am I?” I cried out to no one, my voice reverberating around the empty room. My eyes turned on the door. There was no handle on the inside, no way of opening it from my end.  No amount of pushing or wiggling gave any indication of it opening any time soon. Just as I was making myself comfortable over in a corner, wondering how long it would be before someone would show up, there was a beep, and the door thudded open.

Archie stepped in, letting the door hiss quietly closed behind him. He no longer wore the dirty, ripped clothes that he did when he went beyond the walls of the Settlement, instead he had smart, straight white pants, coupled with a black belt and a fitted black shirt. He’d cleaned himself up as well, his face now devoid of any dirt and he smelled of expensive soaps and creams. I shot to my feet, hot anger rushing through my veins.

“What is going-”

“Do you know what this is?” Archie held up his hand to show a black device, with a trigger and two metal nodes on the end. I had seen one of those before, but only once or twice, and they meant bad news. “It’s a stun gun, Avery,” he continued, not waiting for an answer. “I was advised to bring an actual gun, but you’re not to be grievously harmed, nor do I think you’re that much of a threat to my safety. So how about you sit yourself down on that chair, shut your mouth, and I won’t have to use this.” I did as I was told. I didn’t want to be on the end of that thing, not here. I’d seen it happen once, and only once, years ago. A woman was kicking up a right fuss about rations, lashing out and screaming, making a scene of it all. She struck an Enforcer and was shot with the stun gun. She convulsed and screeched and dropped like a rock. Nurse Pip told me she’d suffered a heart attack as well during the ordeal. I did not want to be on the business end of one of those.

“Good, at least you have some common sense,” he sneered as I took a seat. He started pacing around the table, twirling the stun gun in his hand. His footsteps were loud in the silence.

“Where am I?” I blurted out, not turning to face him. His footsteps did stop, though.

“I thought I told you to keep your mouth shut,” he replied, “But it’s a fair question.” He continued his pacing and didn’t speak again until he was in front of me.

“You’re in the facility at the entrance to the Settlement, in an underground research area. Only the most skilled personnel and those of highest security clearance are allowed access, and are sworn to secrecy of its very existence.” His gaze flickered to me, our eyes meeting. I could tell he was trying to gauge my reaction. His features were more snake-like than I’d ever seen them, and his squinting eyes turned my stomach.

But what he had said hit home; I had been right. There were secrets being kept, and lies being told. I wasn’t going crazy and I wasn’t putting myself through this for nothing. Everything was about to pay off.

“We keep this area a secret, because in order to get accurate results and make accurate predictions, we can’t have people knowing of the lab underneath their feet, it would mess with the readings and produce bias and misinformation.”

“Okay…” I couldn’t figure out where he was going with this train of thought. “So why exactly am I here, in this specific room?” He stopped and glared at me again, but said nothing about my out of line speech.

“You’re here tonight, Avery, because you’ve been making waves. And as I said before, not the good kind.” He started walking again, his shoulders pushed back and his head held high. He just radiated pretentiousness and arrogance. “You’ve been asking very invasive questions, acting out, speaking out, spreading this mentality of being surrounded by liars and held against your will. Not only is it giving people something to think about, but it’s interfering with your monitoring.” My head snapped up and my heart skipped a beat.

“Monitoring?”

“Yes, no need to repeat what I say, Avery.” His lips twitched up as he laughed at himself.

“Why are you monitoring me? Is everyone being monitored?”

“Of course it’s not just you, Avery. Everyone within the walls of the Settlement is being monitored to some varying degree, for very different reasons. You however, are of most interest.” I started to feel sick. What were these people doing?

“Why… why are you monitoring me?” Archie looked at me, disdain and boredom flashing in his eyes.

“To see how you grow, how you adapt, what you become this time around. To tell you the truth,” he swivelled to face me on the opposite side of the table, “I really don’t know why we’re bothering. For some reason, the higher-ups want you monitored, but all I see is a stupid little boy, who’s too smart for his own good, and who will never amount to anything. All I ever hear is _Subject Two_ this, and _Subject Two_ that, like you’re something special. But there’s nothing there. From what I’ve seen you’re just winding up to be another failure.” The marks on my wrist burned and itched. I didn’t know what I was feeling. Everything was so overwhelming. Fear began to creep into my head as everything that had ever happened over the last seven years changed. It was all for some sick, twisted research. I sat in stunned silence for a moment before my brain really processed what he had said.

“What do you mean, ‘this time around’?” My voice shook as I spoke, I couldn’t control it. I didn’t really want to know the answer to my question, but if he was spilling everything, I’d get everything I could. Archie grinned to himself.

“Your claims of memory loss from before the Settlement hold more water than you know, Avery,” he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye as he turned to face the mirrored wall. “Do you know how you came to the Settlement, by any chance?”

Of course I did, it had been repeated to me over and over several times when I first woke up in the infirmary when I was ten.

“I was wandering alone, out in the wilds,” I droned, repeating the tired story, “I’d suffered a lot of injuries and was scared out of my mind. You and a small group of Enforcers stumbled across me and generously brought me in. I was told I wouldn’t remember anything because of severe emotional trauma.” I had made up many scenarios as to what could have happened for ten year old me to block out everything, and all I could reasonably come up with was some kind of attack.

“That’s true, to a very limited extent.” Archie began his pacing again, the stun gun now holstered at his hip. “The truth, in its entirety, is this: There was an incident, one that you were directly involved in. It caused damage beyond belief, and brought research to a halt. We were forced to scrap all of our research and findings up until that point, and start from scratch. So we performed a system reboot on you.” I could feel my chest tightening.

“System reboot? What does that mean?” Archie sighed and hung his head.

“You really ask a lot of questions, don’t you? Do you not understand what I’m telling you?” I stared at him, my brain trying to process everything. I had an idea of what he was getting at, what I had thought for ages, but to have it so close to being confirmed, it terrified me. Archie walked back to his position in front of me, leaning over the table, resting on both his hands. His beady eyes stared me down.

“We wiped your memories, removed them from your brain, reset your personality.”

I felt as though the air in my lungs had been sucked out by a black hole. My head pounded in time to my heart, and the room swayed. They took my memories, everything I had, everything I was, and they took it. I was numb, but inside, I could feel that rage, that white hot rage I’d had for years. I could feel it ignite.

“As for what you’re doing here,” he continued, unaware of the mental crisis I was having, “You, specifically, are being monitored on how you develop, to see if you go down the same route you did last time, or if you’ll become something more desirable.”

“D-desirable?” I choked out.

“Though from the data we’ve collected, it doesn’t show much improvement. But the waves you’ve been making have to stop, and my higher-ups have ordered another reboot. Personally, I’ve suggested termination, the project seems to have failed with you. But you must be pretty damn important if they’re willing to continue.”

Archie stood, and moved back towards the door. It clicked, and then hissed open, the hallway outside empty. I was rooted to the spot, and I dare not try and make a break, not with that stun gun. He turned back to me before he closed the door.

“We’re doing some calibrations and bringing in the specialists, so the procedure will be carried out the day after tomorrow. You’ll be looked after until then. I’d say I’m sorry, but you’ve caused me more trouble than you’re worth.” With that, the door closed behind Archie, and I was once again alone, left to process everything.

It felt as though everything I knew, about my life and myself, was falling away. I could feel the fear and the anger and the confusion warring inside of me, competing for the most attention and fighting to take over my body. I was losing it, I could feel it happening. They were going to take away everything I thought I was. Again.

I shot out of the seat, unable to sit still. I bounced around the room, slamming my fists into the walls, the floor, the table and chairs. I didn’t care if I broke anything, I needed to get it all out. Hours I spent pacing and thrashing and muttering, hitting the walls and going over and over everything Archie had said. I was falling apart, and nothing was going to ease the anger that swelled within me.

Eventually, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I let out an almighty cry that echoed around the room, hurt my throat and made my head spin, until I collapsed to the floor in a heap, the fear finally paralysing me.

* * *

 

I don’t remember falling asleep, but my usual uninterrupted blackness was filled with violent flashes. Silver machinery, explosions of fire, blood stains and anger. Lots of anger. Unrecognisable faces plagued my dream state, before it faded to nothing.

I don’t know how long I was out for, but when I woke up there was a plate of very unpalatable food on the metal table.

Looking around the room once more, I saw the damage of my tantrum. Blood smeared across the white of the tiles and covered my hands, gashes from my knuckles and palms the source. Upon closer inspection, there were a few small cracks in the tiles, and the table was dented slightly. I’d heard that when angry you do things normally impossible or at the very least difficult to do, but I doubted _I_ could put those there.

Another meal was brought some time later, an Enforcer coming in brandishing that stun gun, placing the tray on the table and exiting, all without uttering a word, and without taking his eyes off of me. Nothing else happened, and I found myself curling up to try and sleep away what little time I had left.

* * *

 

It was dark when I woke up. Fear instantly shot through me. Had they moved me already? Was I being performed on right now? What was going on? But when the panic faded, I realised I was still on the floor to my cell, no one had moved me and there was no one around. The lights were off, though, and it was near pitch black, except for one sliver of blinking, orange light…

…that seeped in through the tiny gap of the open door.

Wasting no time, I leapt towards it, cracking it open slightly, poking my head out into the corridor. Orange emergency lights were blinking, briefly illuminating the hall and those that led off of it. There seemed to be no one around. I turned my eyes to the lock on the outside of the door. The panel was black, no readings or lights at all. Some kind of power malfunction?

Regardless, I stepped out into the hall, leaving the door ajar behind me, so as not to arouse too much suspicion should someone happen to walk by. The orange lights lit up signs along the walls, and so I followed the one that directed towards the lifts – Archie said we were underground, so I needed to go up. Hopefully we would avoid any attention getting there.

I crouched, lightening my steps so I wouldn’t make as much noise as I prowled through the maze of corridors. I’d done this on a few occasions, hiding from Enforcers in the forest part of the Settlement above, to avoid a beating. If I could hide out there, I could do it in here as well.

I passed no one on my way to the elevator, which I thought was strange, but I remembered that Archie also said that only the personnel with the highest clearance were allowed down here, and I doubted that would mean many Enforcers or people who could stop me easily. But I realised, once I rode the elevator to the ground level, I would have to move fast and silent and accurately. I didn’t know how many people were housed in here in total, didn’t know of any patrols or cameras. I would have to make a dash for the exit.

But I wasn’t going back _in_.

But how would I get in the elevator, or get it to work if the power was out? The thought hadn’t occurred to me before, but now I was out and roaming, it stopped me in my tracks. If the power was out, I wouldn’t be able get the elevator working at all. I shrugged it off. Surely there had to be some form of stairs here for a power outage emergency.

But to my surprise, when I found the elevator, the electronic panel was on. It read _Emergency Power Source Running_. I sighed with deep relief as I got into the metal box.

“One damn lucky break,” I breathed, waiting for the doors to open on the ground level. I readied myself as the two doors slid open, but again, there was no one there. The lights, however, were on, though they were quite dim. I ducked into a room to the left as I heard footsteps approaching.

“Pretty bad electrical storm,” a man’s voice said, “Haven’t seen one of these in this area in years.”

“I dunno, man,” a woman replied, “This storm seems off. Something freaky and unnatural about it. Just got this feelin’, you know?”

“You’re crazy, you know that?” the man said again, “Just relax, the storm will pass soon and the power will go back to full-”

“-and we’ll have to go out and help clean up the storm damage to the inside,” the woman finished.

“Now isn’t that what the residents are for?” the man retorted, and they both laughed. I rolled my eyes. Typical Enforcer talk, it made me sick.

I waited until their voices and footsteps were gone before I chanced a peak outside, and then moved on. I had no idea which way the exit was, I was just aimlessly wandering the halls, looking for some sign of any sort to point me in the right direction. I walked for about ten minutes, not coming across any Enforcers, winding deeper and deeper into the maze that the corridors created, not knowing if I was even going the right way, when a voice called out.

“Excuse me, who are you?” I spun and faced the Enforcer, stunned into silence. I couldn’t get caught here, not when I could be so close to freedom.

“I’ll say it again. Who are you?” his hand went to his baton, and he looked me up and down. All I could do was make strangled noises and open and close my mouth like a fish. I couldn’t believe I got caught, how could I have been careless enough. I didn’t move fast enough I should have run, I scolded myself mentally. His eyes stopped at my wrist.

“You’re marked…” he whispered.

“Damn,” I growled as I turned, not stopping to see him pull a radio out.

“Subject Two is out, I repeat, Subject Two is out, raise the alarm,” I heard as I tore down the corridor. I took a left, then a right, and I could hear him chasing me. Moments later, an ear-splitting alarm rang out through the complex, followed by a ‘high alert’ security message. I didn’t care to listen, I was focused on where I was going, and outrunning fully grown men and women.

The halls became a blur of colourless noise as I ran. Left, right, another right, left again, and I kept running. I passed many more Enforcers who were already on high alert, thanks to the warning and alarm, and each and every one of them joined the chase. I had to duck and weave and take sharp turns to avoid most of them, swinging batons and furious cries of “ _Get him”_ flying everywhere.

I didn’t know how long I was running for, but all I could hear was the pounding of my heart and the jagged, tired breaths I tried to take. Adrenaline fuelled my body, and I pushed forward through my screaming muscles. But I knew my stamina would run out soon. I had to find the exit, and fast.

I sidestepped into what seemed to be a locker room when I got far enough ahead. Thinking quickly, and breathing heavily, I swiped a black jacket with red trimming and leapt into a locker, trying to get my breath back, and rest my aching limbs. The jacket could provide some cover for a few seconds, maybe more, I just needed to find the way to the exit, that’s all that ran through my head; _find the exit, get out of here. Find the exit, get out of here._

Once I had gotten my breathing under control, and my legs were burning slightly less, I left the locker room via the opposite door, walking briskly, keeping my head down and only looking up to choose and direction and to look for signs. The facility didn’t look that big from the outside, so surely I was near.

Soon, however, I reached an area I recognised. The large open space was different from this perspective, but I definitely knew where I was. On my left, two large glass and steel doors marked the entrance into the Settlement. The grounds outside, from what I could make out, were flooded, muddy water flowing down the paths. But this also meant that on the opposite side, to my right…

…Was a long corridor, and at the end, another doorway, with the wilds on the other side.

Footsteps cut my elation short, and from both sides came running Enforcers, with Archie spearheading them on one side.

“Get him,” I heard him growl, “I won’t let him cause any more trouble.” I didn’t even take time to think. I bolted forward down the long corridor. Over ten Enforcers followed me, and so did Archie’s threats and orders.

“You won’t get away, Avery!” he called, “They’ll drag you back here one way or another. Severely wounded, dead, I really don’t care. This is it for you, Subject Two.”

Even more adrenaline pushed its way through my body and I surged forward. I could feel the breath of the Enforcers behind me, almost feel their iron grip and the sting of the baton. At the end of the corridor, the door was glass, and it looked to revolve. My only thought as I burst through the ornate door was, _“How unnecessarily fancy.”_

I was met with a conflict between hot and cold. The air was thick and warm against what exposed skin I had, yet the torrential rain hit me like tiny pellets of ice, the cold water raising the hairs on my arms, legs and back of the neck. The sudden confusion lasted only a few seconds as a swarm of Enforcers followed me out. I continued my fleeing, running through the sheets of water and down the muddy path. I turned sharply off the path a few metres down, and headed into the much thicker forest.

Here, the ground cut my feet, and my speed was slowed, trying to jump over stumps and dodge various other obstacles, the pain in my feet also hindering my progress. I fell and slid quite a lot, spending equal amounts of time on the ground as I did running. The rain blocked out any sound around me, and all I could hear was its constant speedy pitter patter on the greenery, as well as my own blood pounding around my body.

Everything hurt. My lungs burned from lack of oxygen and overworking to get it into my body, my legs screamed for relief, my head pounded from all the exertion, and my bloodied hands and feet stung as the water hit the open wounds. But I forced myself to push on. There would be no point to the pain if I was caught and then killed now, not when I was out.

So I ran.

I ran and the wind blew and the rain fell. It continued like that for ages. I didn’t know how much time had elapsed, or how far behind the Enforcers were, so I kept going, pushing my weak body to its very limits. Lighting split the sky and lit the forest frequently, followed by tremendous claps of thunder that vibrated the ground. It was one hell of a storm, that was for sure.

I pushed myself to the limit, right to my breaking point. I was sure I was going to pass out and probably die from blood loss and infection. But right as I was about to collapse in the grass, the forest thinned out and a house loomed up out of the darkness and rain. Lights flickered in the windows, and shadows danced inside.

Running up to the door, I banged on it repeatedly, loud thuds reverberating through the house. Shuffles and voices came from inside, and they moved closer to the door. It swung open suddenly, and I nearly fell in, having been leaning on it and the frame for support, trying to suck in as much of the thick air as possible.

An elderly lady stood in the doorway, a stern look across her face as she looked up at me, which quickly changed to surprised. I hadn’t stopped to think about what I must look like, all dishevelled and muddy and bloody, wearing ripped clothing and hair sticking to my skull.

“Oh dear, what happened to you?” she asked, concern tainting her words. I sucked in air.

“Help… please. They’re… after me.” I could barely talk, the words coming out as wheezes and coughs. My legs started to give way as I slowly crumpled to the floor.

“Oh, come on now dear,” the woman cooed, bending down to put her arms beneath mine. “Up you get, we’ll get you nice and dry and all patched up. Sophia, warm up some of the soup and run a bath, would you, sweetie?” I heard more footsteps and clinking of bowls as the elderly lady helped me into a chair. She was stronger than I had thought. Towels were placed on me and both the lady and the younger girl, Sophia, dried me to the best of their ability. I sat there, panting and wheezing and wincing at every move, everything stinging or throbbing or hurting.

“Steady yourself, child,” the older lady said to me, placing a hand on my shoulder for comfort. “Take deep breaths, try and steady it out, you’ll feel much better.” I nodded soundlessly, sucking in deep breaths of air, and slowly releasing it. It still felt like I was suffocating, but after a while, my breathing returned to somewhat normal, even if I was still wheezing. A few minutes later a deep bowl of soup was laid out in front of me, the steam rising into the air in spirals, a heavenly smell wafting up with it. Having not eaten any proper food in ages, I was more than ready to take what was given to me.

While I shovelled the hot soup into my mouth by the spoonful, the lady and Sophia fussed over my various scratches, dabbing at them with wet cloths and cleaning out the dirt. I went back for seconds and even thirds of the comforting food, its heat warming me from the inside out, replenishing my energy. As I emptied the third bowl, I felt hands under my arms once more.

“C’mon, love,” the lady said, “You need a good soak. I’ll lend you some of my grandson’s clothes, you look about his size, and then we can get you into bed.” I groaned as she helped me up, and moans of pain continued to spew from my mouth as I half walked half hobbled along with her, and then into the bathroom.

The warm water was incredible on my aching legs, all the pain simply melting away, though it was horrid on the gashes and cuts all over my beaten body. What mud and blood was left washed off relatively easy, allowing me to see the damage I’d done while fleeing. My feet were pretty cut up, having been barefoot the entire time. Burns and bruises marred the skin where there weren’t any cuts from the hard slapping and turning on the tiled floors of that facility.

“Here are some clothes you can wear for tonight,” the lady reappeared in the doorway, holding a pile of folded clothes. She placed them on the floor just inside the bathroom, and turned to go.

“Thank you,” I managed to get out, my throat raw from the heavy breathing and dehydration. She looked at me with something I’d never seen before – sympathy.

“Introductions and explanations can wait for tomorrow,” she replied, “For now, you get your rest.”

* * *

 

Morning brought with it a fresh round of unbearable pain in my legs and feet, but also an invigorating feeling of accomplishment.

I had gotten out. And I planned on staying out.

It was midday by the time I had gathered to strength to pull myself from the soft clutches of the first real mattress I’d slept on, bright sunlight bringing to life the lovely wooded house. Everything was a rich brown, from the floorboards to the door frames to the floors themselves. The décor continued throughout the house, with splashes of colour coming from the green potted plants that hung from the walls and sat on benches, and the rich coloured cushions and furniture that was placed about the rooms. It gave a very homely feel, one that I was definitely not used to at all, coming from the splintering dark grey’s and rustic dust colours of the living quarters inside the Settlement, and the sterile white walls and floors of the front facility last night. It certainly aided in calming my ever present nerves.

Moving out of the bedroom I’d been ushered into and back down the hall into the open dining area, the house suddenly opened up on the left, split levels spiralling up and leading down. Looking over the few steps that led down a level, I saw a fairly large living area expand, with comfy looking couches and lovely wood and glass end tables. Bookshelves lined the walls and a television sat opposite the couches. A large window opened up to an expansive path that led down the road and into trees. Here was also the front door.

“Here you go love.” The sound of a plate and cutlery being placed, as well as the voice, drew my attention back to the level I was on. The lady from last night smiled as she left the plate of hot breakfast food and returned to the kitchen. She was around my height, and of fit stature. Her eyes crinkled at the side when she smiled and glittered in the light. Her frizzy greying hair was pulled back off of her slightly tanned face, held into a neat bun by presumably a handful of pins. Sophia, the little girl, came out of the kitchen with a large glass of orange juice and placed it next to the plate of food.

“Orange juice always helps me when I’m tired,” she proclaimed, a beaming smile filling her young face. She would have been about nine, maybe ten years old, skipping happily away, her dark curls bouncing as she did. I thought about protesting the kind gestures, but as I opened my mouth, my stomach let out a grumble that shook me from the inside, and thought better of it. The old lady emerged from the kitchen again, drying her hands with an ragged dish towel as she sat diagonal from me at the table.

“Thank you, Mis-” She raised a hand.

“Folks ‘round here call me Old Lady Jane, sweetie,” she clarified. “But you can just call me Jane, if it makes it easier for you.” I nodded.

“Thank you, Jane. The food is lovely.”

“Well git it into you, boy, you look as if you haven’t eaten in weeks! Can’t have that now can we?” she giggled lightly and I smiled through a mouthful of hot potatoes and bacon. We sat for a while; me stuffing my face full of food I’d neglected my body of, her sitting and watching me patiently. But as I came to the end of the enormous meal, draining the end of the orange juice Sophia had so kindly left for me, Jane spoke up again.

“So, I don’t want to rush you much, dear, but I think it’s time you told me exactly what was going on last night.” My body locked up. I hadn’t given any thought on to how I’d explain myself, not because I wasn’t planning to, but because the difference in environment wiped the Settlement and all my worries from the front of my mind for a while.

“I don’t think I should…” I started.

“Well, I think you most certainly should,” she replied, her voice still sweet and inviting. “You came bashing at my door, soaked, dirty and bloody, during the biggest storm I’ve seen in my days. I let this business into my house, I think I deserve to know what it’s about, don’t you?” I exhaled through my nose, unable to argue with her logic. I folded my hands in my lap and I told her everything.

I told her everything about the Settlement; how many people there were, the structure of the society within. I told her about the Enforcers and how we were watched and monitored by them and beaten if stepped out of line. I told her about the lie they fabricated to keep us from questioning too much. I told her about Archie and everything he said; how I was being monitored especially, how he had planned to take my memories again for meddling. I told of my escape and how I ended up to be in her house.

All the while, Jane’s eyes grew bigger and bigger, widening out of shock, disbelief and horror as I recounted how life was like, and especially the last few days.

“They’re dangerous people, Jane,” I said, wrapping up, “and I’m sorry for possibly bringing them to your door. They will be looking for me, I’m sure of it.”

“Oh I don’t doubt it,” she breathed, “But they won’t find you here, not on my watch.” I stared at her in awe.

“You mean…?”

“You can stay here as long as you need to,” she nodded in reply. “You’ve been lied to a lot, it seems, and you know nothing about the world as it actually is. So yes, you can stay here, regain your strength, energy and body mass, and we can work on educating you on certain issues before you leave. What do you plan on doing, though?” I shook my head.

“I don’t know, I really don’t. I need to get it out there, though. I need everyone to know what’s going on. I just don’t know where to go or who to tell or if they’ll even believe me. But I’ll make them see, they have to see, they can’t ignore this!” We sat for a moment in silence, Jane lost in thought.

“You should probably go to Goldenrod City, then,” she said quietly, “Johto’s police force are based there, and the regions’ radio tower is there, so if you’re turned away by the police, you could always go on some popular radio talk show or something, get it out that way.” I fought to supress the rising hope and grin that came with it. I may have a place and motive to get me going now, but I knew nothing of the wilds, of ‘Johto’, and the thought was enough to scare me.

“You’ll need a Pokémon to keep you company too!” Sophia came running in from outside, energy radiating off of her, muddy footprints trailing behind her.

“Sophia, shoes! Goodness child, we just cleaned up,” Jane scolded the little girl, rushing to herd her outside without making any more mess than she already had.

“A Pokémon?” I asked tentatively, “To keep me company? But they’re dangerous, aren’t they?”

“Only when provoked, or angered,” Jane explained, grabbing a mop from a side cupboard. “If you get on the wrong side of most Pokémon, they’ll just run away from you, or take a swipe and disappear. There are some you have to be careful of though, but they are far and few between. But Sophia is right, the perceptive little child. Goldenrod City is quite a ways away from here, and you’ll more than likely need to have your own companion to keep you company and protect you. Come on, I’ll show you to the ranch.” She waved for me to follow her out the back and down the path, placing the now dirty mop outside as we walked.

The storm from the night previous had done quite a lot of damage to the visible landscape, the grass flooded and mud pits everywhere, plants stripped of their leaves, some uprooted, and even a tree or two had fallen. The path we walked was covered in dirt and different parts of various plants.

“So, what’s the ranch?” I asked as my skin drank in the warmth of the sun.

“That’s the ranch,” Jane pointed. Ahead was a building that dwarfed the facility in its first impressions. It was huge, and I could see that around the edges, a fence ran out even further. Jane walked me in, Sophia running in behind us. Inside was just as daunting. Rows and rows or enclosures, both uncovered and covered, filled the interior, paths and grass criss-crossing the open space.

“In these enclosures are dozens of different species of Pokémon, born and raised here. I breed the widest variety, and trainers come from all over to view them, and adopt them, whether for battling, showing off, or general companionship. We’re renowned across the region here, and have the highest number of customers.” She talked as we walked, looking in on some of the enclosures. There was a blue mudfish looking thing, with two antennae protruding from the sides of its bulbous head, with no arms, flapping around in mud and water just outside, and there were bird-like ones, of different species I could tell, all hopping around.

“These are all only babies, fresh hatched just months ago. We only keep the younger ones, releasing the eldest ones that don’t get adopted into the wild, to their natural habitat within the region. That’s where my grandson is, off flying around the region and making sure they assimilate well.” I looked around in fascination; these weren’t the killing monsters that Archie had made out they were, they were _cute_. Still foreign and a little bit terrifying, but still cute.

“Our world is inhabited by many, many more species of Pokémon,” Jane continued as we walked, “and as I said before, people use them for different reasons: battling in the League, competing in beauty contests, or just as household pets and companions. We live harmoniously with the Pokémon, respect them. There’s a beautiful balance, but there are those who seek to use Pokémon for power.” She scrunched her face up at that, obviously disapproving.

The noise coming from all of the enclosures was deafening when combined, little conversations and nattering going on in each of them. I watched them all interact, playing with each other in both the inside and outside enclosures. I knelt down at one of the enclosure fences, a small bipedal Pokémon running up to greet me. Its shiny, dark skin was wet from the rain, or the small pool in its enclosure, as well as its feathers that sprouted from its head and the bottom of its spine. I noticed that its feathers were quite tattered, pieces missing. It wrapped its sharp looking, little claws around the post and stared at me with its big eyes, the golden gem on its head glistening. Jane hummed.

“I think it would be in your best interest to become a trainer, honestly. Take the League challenge, broaden your horizons and learn first-hand about how this world actually is.”

“Are you a Trainer?” the Pokémon whispered. I recoiled away instantly, horrified that it could _talk_ , but Jane didn’t seem to notice.

“Trainer?” I asked.

“Yeah, you’d travel the region, catching and training your own Pokémon, taking on the Gym Leaders in the League challenge, and you’d get to see the region and learn,” Jane replied, looking down at me. “Goldenrod is after the second Gym, where Whitney, the third Gym Leader, resides. It would give you something else to do along the way, and open up more doors for you.”

“Trainer, if you need a Pokémon, please choose me I can help you.” The Pokémon continued to talk to me through the bars, its eyes wide and excited. I heard Jane sigh a little.

“It seems you’ve made a friend, Avery,” she pointed out. “That little guy should have been assimilated a while ago, but he’s the runt of his litter, and would be preyed on in the wild, so it’s safer for him here. Poor Sneasel, no one wants him because of it.”

“Sneasel?”

“The name of the species,” Jane clarified. She moved past me, to a cabinet that hung on the wall next to the Sneasel’s enclosure. “Look,” she said, “I don’t normally do this, but you, you’re something different, sweetie.” She pulled out a small white and red sphere from the shelves within. “You need a companion, whether you decide to do the League challenge is up to you, but you will need one. Pokémon are your friend, Avery,” she assured me when I started to shake my head, “and one here will help you get to where you need to go. Take whichever one you want, free of any charge at all.” She handed me the sphere. “This is a pokéball, just tap it against the Pokémon you want, and it will do all the work.”

It was cold and heavy in my hand. I didn’t particularly want a Pokémon, but they insisted that I would need one, and I really didn’t fancy being alone while travelling either, not knowing exactly how far away Goldenrod City was. Was Archie a trainer? He had that Koffing in one of these spheres, did that mean it was his? It was possible, given the amount of lies he’d already told. How could someone that evil gain the trust of Pokémon? That’s what decided it for me.

“I’ll do it,” I said out loud. “I’ll be a trainer. Maybe I’ll get the chance to show Archie just who he’s messed with.” I glanced down at the Sneasel.  It sat up against the fence, head turned to still look at me. It was a runt, forgotten and unwanted, a target on the outside. No one had any faith in it, no one wanted it.

Except me, now.

I knelt down in front of it again, putting my hand through the fence. It nuzzled into my hand, and I realised it had short fur, not exposed skin.

“Are you a trainer, Trainer?” he asked. Hesitantly, I nodded. It felt odd and different, but it was what I was going to have to get used to. “Will you be my trainer?”

“Do you… do you want to join my team?” I asked, feeling rather silly.

“Yes yes yes yes yes yes I will!” he cried happily. I looked up at Jane, knots in my stomach.

“This one will do nicely,” I said. She raised her eyebrow.

“Are you sure?” I glanced back at the Sneasel. I didn’t know the first thing about Pokémon, nor training them, but I could tell we would be something together.

“Yes, I’m sure.”

“Well, okay then, takes him off of my hands anyways,” she said as she unlocked the gate The Sneasel ran out and hopped up onto my knees, flashing a mischievous looking grin. “Did you want to name him?”

“Kylar’s my name,” the Sneasel said before I could ask. I tapped the sphere against his head.

“Kylar,” I repeated, as he dissolved into energy and disappeared into the pokéball.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So back with another chapter, and Avery gets his starter! Don't worry, i did it all legit and even penalised myself for it so everything is alright
> 
> Hopefully i'll be able to write a few more chapters really quickly, i've got some planned out in my head already, so that means more frequent updates yay  
> Hope you enjoyed


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